Electric-current-supplying mechanism.



N. D. LEViN.

ELECTRIC CURRENT SUPPLYING MECHANISM.

APPLICATON FILED AUGZBI I914. V Patented Dec. 19,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET lmama N. D. LEVIN.

ELECTRIC CURRENT SUPPLYING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED Aus.28, 1914.

1,209,330. Patented Dec. 19,1916.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

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1vILs D. LEVIN, or COLUMBUS, onto, ASSIGNOR 1 0 THE JEFFREY MANUFACTURING coMrAivY, or COLUMBUS, onro, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

ELECTRIC-CURRENT-SUPPLYI1\TG MECHANISM.

1,2oo,31o.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Dec. ie, 1916.

Original application filed July 14, 1905, Serial No. 507,635. Renewed April 11, 1914, Serial No. 831,342.

Divided and this application filed August 28, 1914. Serial No. 859,095.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NILS D. LEVIN, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Electric-Current-Supplying Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The Qb'ect of the invention is to provide an electric locomotive having a cable reel mechanism with improved driving and controlling means.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have shown the embodiment of my invention which I now deem preferable. changes may, however, be'niade if desired.

Of the drawings,Figure 1 is a side view of a locomotive and cable reeling mechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is aperspective vlew of a cable reeling apparatus and controlling mechanlsm therefor, constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 8 is another perspectiveview' ofthe same taken from another point. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the reel. view of the entire reeling apparatus. Fig. 6 is a side elevation. Fig. 7 is an end eleva tion with the controlling lever removed.

Fig. 8 is a view partly in cross section and partly in elevation of the brake meclianis1n.-

A represents more or less 'diagrannnati cally a locomotlve or other vehicle whlch, so

far as my invention is concerned, can be of any of a number of sorts. An electric locomotive is shown similar to that'in the Sessions Patent #821,317 .and it. is provided with a main frame B, track wheels C, axles D. and electric motors E, connected'to the said axles and track wheels.

Numeral ldesignate's a base plate which is intended to be secured to suitable parts of an electriclocomotive or other moving object to be supplied with electric current by- Various Fig. 5 is a plan} sists of the wooden druml and the metallic end plates 5,5, which serve to retain the cable laterally. The cable may be of the single conductor type or of the double conductor type. In the drawings, except in Fig.) 4, I-have shown a single conductor cable; and in Fig. 4 I have illustrated a double conductor cable showing how it may be attached to the reel. The cable 6 is wound with the brush 9. From the brush 9 current is led to themotor;17 for driving the reel and to the motors E E for driving the locomotive. In this manner the electric circuit canbe completed by the cable to any movable current consuming device which it is impracticable otherwise to electrically connect with a source of electric current.

Suitable guides 10, 10 are provided at opposite points near the reel periphery whereby the-cable may be furnished an anti-friction support as it leaves the reel, and prevented from being worn against the stationary parts of the mechanism. The oppositely arranged guides 10, 10 make it possible for the cable to be wound onto or unwound from the reel at either side thereof. The'guard plates 11, 11 are mounted upon thebase plate .1 in such position thatitheir upper faces are flush with the inner face of the lower-reel flange 5, and in close proximity to the periphery of this flange. These guards prevent the the reel; i y a The rope sheave 12. is'rigidly secured to the under side of the reel and is engaged by the endlessrope 13 which also passes around the rope sheave 14:. This latter sheave 14 is mounted upona vertical shaft 15 which is supported in bearings carried by the horizontalframe or carrier 16. This frame comprises arms which are bolted to the frame or casing of the motor 17 for driving the reel. The motor frame is mounted to turn about a vertical, pivot pin mounted in'a stationary bearing 18. On account of this pivotal mounting the motor frame 17 and the sheave cable from fouling under 14L- are movable bodily about a vertical axis, and the sheave 14: can be caused to approach or recede from the reel sheave 12.

The sheave ll is connected to the motor by means of a pinion 19 on the armature shaft of the motor and a bevel gear 20 keyedto the shaft 15 upon which the sheave 14 is also rigidly mounted. v i

In order to control the movement of the carrier 16 and the motor and other parts connected to it, I provide a pivoted hand lever 22 which canbe locked in any one of a plurality of positions by means of a dog 28 which may engage a segmental rack 27. Between the lever 22 and the frame 16 is a link 24.

The other end of the link2ljhas a yieldable connection through the spring 26 withthe hand lever. It will be noted that by adjusting the position of the hand lever the carrier l6 and the sheave 20 may be yieldingly held in any desired position to properly tension the rope belt 13.

the spring 21 which bears at one end against thecollar 35 at the outer end of'the' plunger, and at the other'end against the frame 16. The nut 86 prevents the plunger from being entirely removed from its support in the rigidly secured thereto are swung about the engages the brake block 32 which is thereby yieldingly forced against the sheave 12.

Upon the box 29 are mounted one or more stationary contacts 80. A movable contact 31 is mounted upon the outer endof the carrier 16 and is adapted to engage withthe stationary contacts '30 as the motor casing pivot at 18. The contacts 30 are arranged on the arc of a circle about the axis of the pivotal connection of the motor casing with the bed plate so that the movable contact 31 may properly register with each of them.:

hen several contacts 30 are provided as shown in Fig. 5, they are suitably electrically [connected together except the one at the leftmarked 30 whichis an idle contact insulated from all other parts. It will be readily understood that by moving the lever 22 away from the reel, electricalconnection ill beestablished through the motor to start it,andthe rope belt 13 will be simultaneously tightened. The apparatus is so adjusted that the motor acquires consider- The link 24. is secured at one end V to a sleeve 25 which engages theshaft 15.

It will be understood that the rope driving means which I .haveprovided serves as a simple,- eficient and. cheapifriction device for transmitting a rotative force to the reel.

In operation it is desirable that the cable be maintained at. a substantially uniform tension during winding, and in order that this may be done the drive sheave 1 may be operated at a. speed somewhat in excess of that corresponding to the speed of travel.

of the vehicle or locomotive. hen this. is done, the tendency is for the reel to rotate at a speed somewhat greater than is permitted by the cable. As a result it is necessary for slippage to take place, and this occurs. between the rope. and one or bothof the.

sheaves. It will be seen that the cable tension must at all timesbe in proportion to the resistance to slippage offered at the sheaves; and this resistance can bevaried by adjust ing the tension in the rope in the manner before described.

It willbe understood that it is not necessary'to disconnect and stop the motor every time the locomotive is moved inthe cable unwinding direction. As a matter. of fact, it is possible and in fact-preferable, especially when the distance of unwinding is short, to permit the motor to operate con- '7 tinuously. As stated above a slippage will frame 16. hen the motor and the frame 16 take place between the rope and'the sheaves as the reel is controlled b the cable tension. The continuously acting motor serves ,to transmita continuous winding torque to the reel and this torque is present irrespective of the direction of rotation. In other words i the motor is so connected that it tends to turnthe reel in the winding direction even thoughthe reel be forced, by the cable to turn in the unwinding direction. This construction is of considerable importance as it positively insures a proper tension in the cable at all times.v The motorman can de vote his entire attention to the handling of the locomotive, the starting, stopping and reversingof it, the attachment of cars, etc, and the reel motor. in the mean time will keep the cable taut, .winding it when the locomotive moves in one direction and per.- mitting it to unwind under predetermined tension when the locomotive moves in the other direction.

Obviously, many changes canbe made in the details of the construction, as. for in stance, in the mounting of the reel,-in the form of the power means for driving the sheave 14:, in the means for tightening the rope, the means applying the brake,

etc. I have herein usedthe word rope 1n referringto the'connection between the two sheaves but it willbe understood that any invention as set forth in the following claims. a

This application constitutes a division of my application, Serial Number507,635, filed July 14, 1909, renewed April 11, 1914, as

Serial Number 831,342, and issued April 30, 1915, as Patent No. 1,136,246;

hat I claim is r 1. The combination with a vehicle adapted to travel forward and backward and having an electric driving'motor, of an electric 0on ductor cable adapted to be connected at its free end to a fixed electric conductor and sei ving'to supply current to the motor during the said forward andbackward movement, a reel for winding the cable during movement in one direction and unwinding it during movement inthe other direction. the speed of rotation of the reel in both directions being entirelycontrolledby the cable,

a rope sheave connected with the reel to r0 tate therewith, a power driving means for the reel, a drive sheave connected with the power means, and an endless rope permanently engaging the said sheaves, the said rope serving in combination with the 35 sheaves to provide'a friction drive for the reel whereby its speed of rotation can be controlled by the cable irrespective of the speed of the power means. l

2. The combination with a vehicle adapted to travel forward and backward and having an electric driving motor, of an electric cona ductor cable adapted to be connected at its free end to a. fixed electric'conductor and serving to supply current to the motor during the said forward and backward movemcuts, a reel for winding the cable during movement in one direction, and unwinding it duringmovement in the other direction,

the speed of rotation of the reel in both died to travel forward and backward and hav ing electric driving motor, of an electric conductor cable adapted to be connected at its free end to a fixed electric conductor and serving to supply current to the motor durmg the said forward and backward movement, a reel for winding the cable during the movement in one direction and unwinding it during movement in the other direction, the speed of rotation of the reel in both directions being entirely controlled by the cable,

a rope sheave connected with the reel to rotate therewith, a power driving means for the reel, a drive sheave connected with the power means, an endless rope permanently engaging thesaid sheaves, the said rope serving in combination with the sheaves to provide a friction drive for the reel whereby its speedrof rotation can be controlled by thecable irrespective of the speed of the power means, and manually controllable means for moving the drive sheave bodily tochangethe tension in the rope.

t. The combination with a vehicle adapt- 1 ed to travel forward and backward and havconductor cable adapted to be connected at its free end to a fixed electric conductor and serving to supply current to the motor during the said forward and backward move ments, a reel for winding the cable during movement in one direction and unwinding it during movement in the other direction, the speed of rotation of the reel in both directions being entirely controlled by the cable, a rope sheave connected with the reel to rotate therewith, a power driving means for the reel, a drive sheave connected with the power means, an endless rope permanently engaging the said sheaves, the said rope serving in combination with the sheaves to provide a friction drive for the reel whereby its speed of rotation can be controlled by the cable irrespective of the speed of the power means, and a manually controllable brake supplen'iental to the rope for resisting the rotation of the reel in the unwinding direc- 5; The combinationwith a vehicle adapted to travel forward and backward and having an electric driving motor, of an electric conductor cable for supplying current to the motor during a the said forward and backward movement, a reel for winding the cable during movement in one direction and unwinding it during movement in the other direction, a rope sheave connected with the reel to rotate therewith, a power driving means for the reel, a drive sheave connected with the power means, an endless rope permanently engaging the said sheaves, the said rope serving in combination with the sheaves to provide a friction drive for the reel whereby its speed of rotation can be controlled bv the cable tension irrespective of the speed'of the power means, a brake supplement-al to the rope for resisting the rotament, a reel for winding the cable during movement in one direction and unwinding it duringmovement in theother direction, the speed of rotation of the reel in both d1- rections being entirely. controlled by the ing the said forward and backward movecable, a rope sheave connected with the reel to rotatetherewith, a second electric motor for ,driving the ,reel, the said second motor being operable independently of the first said motor and receiving its current from the said cable, a drive sheave connected with the said second motor, and an endless rope permanently engaging the said sheaves, the said rope serving in combination with the sheaves to provide a friction drive for the reel whereby its speed of rotation can be controlled by the cable irrespective of the speed of the second motor.

7. The combination with a vehicle adapted to travel forward and backward and having an electric driving motor, of an electric conductor cable adapted to be connected at its free end to a fixed electric conductor and. serving to supply current to the motor durment, a reel for winding the cable during movement in one direction and unwinding it during movement in the other direction, the speed of rotation of the reel in both directions being entirely controlled by the cable,

a second electric motor operable independently of the first said motor and receiving itscurrent from the said cable, a frictional power connection between the second motor *and the reel, whereby the motor can transmit V a constant winding torque to the reelirrespective of its direction or speed of rotation under the control of the cable, and manually controllable means operable wh le the second motor is in operation for removing the pres- 5., to tr vel forward and backward and havsure between the elements of the friction connection thereby interrupting the transmission of the said torque.

S. The combination with a vehicle adapted ing an electric driving motor, ofv an electric conductor cable adapted to be connected at its free end to a fixed electric conductor and serving to supply current to the motor during the said forward and backward movement, a reel for winding the cable during movement in one direction and unwinding it during movement in the other direction, the speed of rotation of the reel in both directio-ns being entirely controlled by thecable, a ropesheave connected with the reel to rotate therewith, a second electric motorfor drivingthe reel, the said second motor being operable independently, of: the first said" motor and receiving its current from the said cable, a drive sheaveconnected Wlth' the said second motor, an endless rope permanently engagingthe sald sheaves, wherebythe motorcan tran'smita constant wind-,

ing torqueto the reel irrespective of its directionor speed of rotationunder the control of the cable, ande manually controllable, means for loosening the said rope thereby.

interrupting the transmission of the said torque.

S). The combination with a forward and backward moving vehicle having an electric driving motor, of, an electric conductor cable for. supplying current to the (motor during the said forward andbackward movement,"

a reel for winding the cable, during movement in one direction and unwmdmg 1t during movement 1n the other direction, a second electric motor operable independently of the first said motor andreceivingits current from theflsard cable, a power connectionbetween the second motor andthe reel,=

a brake independent of the said power connection for resistmg the rotation of the reel,

meansfor opening and closing the circuit of;

for supplying current to the motor during the saidforward and backward movement, a reel for windii'ig the cable duringmovement in one direction and unwinding it during movement in the other direction, a second electric motoroperable independently of the first said motor and receiving its current from the said cable, a normally operative power connection between the second motor and the reel, a brake independent of the said power connection for resisting the rotation of the reel, means for breaking the said power connection, means for applying and releasing the said brake, and a manually controllable lever operableirrespective of the direction of rotation of the reel for simultaneously operating the last-two said means to apply the brake and interrupt the transmission of power or to release the brake and cause the transmission of'power.

11. The combination with a forward and backward moving yehicle having an electric driving motor, of an electric conductor cable for supplying current to the motor during ,so i

the said forward and backward movement, a reel for winding the cable during movement in one direction and unwinding it during movement in the other direction, a second electric motor operable independently of the first said motor and receiving its current from the said cable, a normally operative power connection between the second motor and the reel, a brake independent of the said power connection for resisting the rotation of the'reel, means for opening and closing the circuit of the second motor, means for breaking the said power connec tion, means for applying and releasing the said brake,and a manually controllable lever, operable irrespective of the direction of rotation of the reel, for simultaneously operating the last three said means to stop the motor, break the power connection and apply the brake or start the motor, complete the power connection and release the brake.

12. The combination with a vehicle adapted to travel forward and backward and having an electric driving motor, of an electric conductor cable for supplying current to the motor during the said forward and back ward movement, a reel for winding the cable during movement in one direction and unwinding it during movement in the other direction, a rope sheave connected with the reel to rotate therewith, a power mechanism for driving the reel, a drive sheave connected with the said power mechanism, an endless rope permanently engaging the said sheaves, the said rope serving in combination with the sheaves to provide a friction drive for the reel whereby its speed of rotation can be controlled by the cable tension irrespective of the speed of the second motor, means for tightening and loosening the said endless rope, a brake for resisting the rotation of the reel, and a manually controllable lever for simultaneously loosening the rope and applying the brake or for simultaneously tightening the rope and releasing the brake.

13. The combination with a vehicle adapted to travel forward and backward and having an electric driving motor, of an electric conductor cable for supplying current to the motor during the said forward and backward movement, a reel for winding the cable during movement in one direction and unwinding it during movement in the other direction, a rope sheave connected with the reel to rotate therewith, a second electric motor for driving the reel, the said second motor being operable independently of the first said motor and receiving its current from the said cable, a drive sheave connected with the said second motor, an endless rope permanently engaging the said sheaves, the said rope serving in combination with the sheaves to provide a friction drive for the reel whereby its speed of rotation can be controlled by the cable tension irrespective of the speed of the second motor, means for tightening and loosening the said endless rope, means for opening and closing the circuit of the electric motor, a brake for re sisting the rotation of the reel, and a manually controllable lever for simultaneously loosening the rope opening the motor circuit and applying brake or for simultaneously tightening the rope closing the motor circuit and releasing the brake.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

NILS D. LEVIN.

Uopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

